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Opus Dei to open new Catholic schools

Posted: Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:14

The secretive, sinister and extremely wealthy Catholic organisation Opus Dei - originally started by supporters of the fascist Franco regime in Spain - is sponsoring two secondary schools to open in Britain by September 2013.

Separate, independent, single-sex schools will be established in an as yet unspecified location in South London by a charitable front, PACT (Parents, Children, Teachers) Educational Trust. There is no mention of Opus Dei on the PACT website, although around half the charity's board members are Opus Dei members. PACT already operates two prep schools in Purley, Surrey and Clapham, London.

The schools are fee-paying and it is announced that they will be "run with a distinctive Catholic ethos according to the charism of Opus Dei". The organisation will provide the chaplain, RE teachers and "doctrinal spiritual advice".

Ella Leonard, an Opus Dei member and chairwoman of PACT, said the schools would be "parent-led".

A recent press release stated "The trustees explored the possibility of the new secondaries being free schools, but say they were deterred by the restrictions in the legislation which preclude a faith school of being made up of more than 50% of students of that faith."

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